Switch-type plug attachment device



Jan. 21, 1936. J. D. BROWN 2,028,314

SWITCH TYPE PLUG ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed March 6, 1934 "Lg-q U51 12 CIIiVENTOR Jose 1h D bra: n.

ATTORNEY ia- I Patented Jan. 21, 1936 Q PATENT OFFICE SWITCH-TYPE PLUGATTACHMENT DEVICE Joseph D. Brown, New York, N. Y., assignor to RayliteTrading Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application March 6,1934, Serial No. 714,246

8 Claims.

This invention relates to switch-type of plug attachment devices forconnecting conductor wire cords to portable electric appliances.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve devices ofthe character described whereby few and simple parts are arranged andconstructed to provide a compact, rugged assembly capable ofwithstanding rough usage, which shall be inexpensive to manufacture yetform a neat appearing structure, and which shall be practical andconvenient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

" The invention accordingly consists in the fea-. ture of construction,combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplifled in the construction hereinafter described and of which thescope of. application will be indicated in the following claims.

In theaccompanying drawing, .in which is shownvarious possibleillustrative embodiments of this invention:

, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an electric switch-type of plugattachment device showing the top member of the casing removed to exposethe interior construction and assembly. 7 Figs. 2 and 3 are front andside elevational views ofthe. improved device.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views taken onlines'4-4 and 55 inFigs. 1 and 2, respectively.

Fig. '6 is a perspective view of the switch curshown, said deviceincludes a casing, having a top and bottom member, or mating halves l Iand 12, respectively, which may be formedof vaisuitable insulatingmaterial, such as a molded phenol condensate product. Said halves II andI 2 are held together by any conventional fastening means, as forexample,by spaced screws I3 which may be located .to extend throughthecasing members Hand l2, as is shown in Figs. "1 and 2.

.The inner side of said member II and I2, that is,'the.sides that arebrought in face to face relation when assembling the device ID, are eachformed with cavities which register to provide suitablejchambersfor'housing the movable parts of the switch'mechanismand for retainingthe live current carrying parts enclosed as hereinafter described. Thusbetweenthe casing members l I and I2 there is provided parallellyaligned spaced chambers l4 and I wherein spring gripping contacts I6 andM, respectively, 5 are retained.

If desired, these contacts l6 and I! may be anchored to the casingbottom member l2 by any suitable means such as drive screws l8 extendingthrough the inner ends of said contacts. 1 To give access to saidcontacts I6 and I1, passages Ma and [5a, respectively, are provided,wherethrough the usual spaced prongs or terminal posts of an electricappliance (not shown) are inserted into the forward or leading end ofthe casing for connecting such appliance to a suitable power sourcethrough the device I0 in the well understood manner. The drive screw l8extending through the inner end of the spring contact I! may also serveas fastening means for electrically connecting thereto a front end l9aof a saddle jumper l9.

. A rear end I91) of the jumper l9 may be anchored by a drive screw 20to the casing bottom member l2, said end l9b being provided with anextension terminal screw binding post I90.

The drive screw I 8 extending through the inner end of the springcontact l6 may also serve as a fastening means for electricallyconnecting there to a front end 2la. of a jumper member 2|. A rear endof said member 2| forms a lower spring contact jaw 2ib of the switchmechanism, the latter being indicated generally at S. An upper springcontact jaw 22b forming an end of a current carrying strip 22 is locatedin alignment with the lower contact jaw 2 lb as seen from Figs. 1 and 6.A drive screw 20 may be used to anchor said strip 22 to the casingbottom member I2, said strip 22 being also formed with an extensionterminal screw binding post 22a at the end opposite the jaw 22b. 0 Achamber 23 having an end passage 23a provided within the rear end of thecasing gives access to thespaced terminal posts I90 and 22a. andencloses a flexible condu'ctorwire cord 24 extending .therethrough, thebared ends 240. of said cord being electrically connected to said posts1 9c and 22a. The'passage 23a may be channelled at 7 23b, for retainingtherein an enlarged end 250' of a-helically coiled armor 25 (only afragmentary portion being shown) between said casing member II and I2,said armor 25 serving in the well understood manner to protect andreinforce the portion of the cord 24 passing into the device [0.

The movable parts of the switch mechanism S occupy a chamber 26 formedby cavities in the members II and I2 above the chambers I4 and I5. Saidmoving parts include an element 21 preferably molded of insulatingmaterial having a circular shaped top wall 21a which is formed with anarcuate side wall 211) extending partially about the perimeter thereof.Said side wall 21b may be provided at the center of its outer surfacewith a handle 21c radially extending with respect to said top wall 210..Said handle 210 may be extended inwardly beyond the inner surface of thesaid wall 21b to provide a lug 21d for anchoring one end 28a of atension spring 28, the purpose of which will hereinafter be described.The top and side walls 210. and 21b may be cut away at 21g to facilitatemolding and attaching the spring end 28a, to the lug 21d which may bepierced to receive said end 28a. Said top wall 21a. may also carry thelegends On and Off on the portion thereof bordering the side wall 21!)for indicating through an opening Ila in the top member Ii the positionof the switch mechanism S. If desired, the top wall 21a may be providedwith an integral upstanding central boss or hub 21c concentricpositioned with respect to said top wall 21a. Said hub 21c has anopening 21f serving as a bearing for an end 29a of a metallic circuitcloser 29.

The member 12 within the chamber 26 is provided with a circular groove[2a which serves as a track in which the end or free edge of the sideWall 211) of the element 21 can rotate on moving of thehandle 210.Although the top member ll may be formed so as to retain the element 21in place, said element is preferably secured against displacement fromits working position on the member 12 by the saddle jumper l9. As shownin the drawing, said jumper I9 is provided with an opening No forjournalling the hub 21c therein to center the element 21 and therebymake the rotary movement smoother.

The circuit closer 29 may be in the form of a U-shaped wire, the midsection 291) of which provides a fastening for the other end 281) of thecoil spring 28 as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The, end 29a of thecircuit closer 29 which is supported in the bearing opening 21c and theend 296 opposite thereto which is journalled in a recess l2b concentricwith the groove I; and provided in member l2 form a trunnion for thecircuit closer 29.

In order to conveniently operate the switch S, the element 21 ispositioned so that the handle! 21c extends outwardly from the side ofthe casing through an elongated slot Ifla provided in the casing as isshown in the drawing.

The operation of device ID will now be apparent. With the various partsprovided and assembled as described above and shown in the drawing, onmoving the handle 21c rearwardly causes the circuit closer 29 to takethe On position, that is, bridging the spring contact jaws 2H) and 22bfor closing the circuit passing from strip 22 to jumper 2| and tocontact I6, as shown in Fig. 1.

On moving the handle 21c forwardly from the On position, the element 21is rotated and since the spring 28 is in tension, the circuit closer 29remains in the circuit closing position until the handle 21c passesbeyond the dead center line indicated by XX in Fig. 1, thereaftertension by the spring 28 is exerted to snap the circuit closer 29 awayfrom the jaws 2Ib and 22b for opening the circuit therebetween. Thecircuit closer 29 will then swing to the position indicated by the dotand dash lines in Fig. 1, and the handle 210 to 01f position shown inFig. 2.

Similarly the circuit closer 29 will remain in the Off position and willsnap into the On position on moving the handle 21c rearwardly beyond thedead center line X-X.

The On and Off positions are readily ascertained on sight at either theslot Illa above and below the handle 210, as shown in Fig. 3, or at theopening I la on member I I, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a. device whereby theseveral objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adaptedto meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention,and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and'desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a switch-type plug attachment, an insulating case having acircular groove and a recess concentric with said groove, an elementhaving a curved edge wall fitted to rotate in said groove and an openingconcentric with said wall, a circuit closer having trunnion portionsjournalled in said opening and recess, and a spring mounted between anend of said closer anda part of said element at a spaced distance fromthe opening thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, mating insulating membershaving cavities in register to form a casing with chambers, a switchmechanism assembly in one of said chambers, said assembly including aninsulating element having a circular shaped top wall, an arcuate sideWall extending partially about the perimeter of said top wall, and ahandle extending outwardly from the side wall radially with respect tosaid topwall, one of said members having a circular-shaped groove toserve as a track for the free edge of said side wall to ride in, saidtop wall and the last mentioned member each having an opening, aU-shaped circuit closer provided with out-turned ends journalled insaidopenings, and a coil spring having one end anchored to the mid portionof said closer and the other end to the side wall of said element.

3. A, switch element comprising .molded insulated body formed with acircular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially 7about the perimeter of said top wall, and a handle extending outwardlyfrom the mid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to saidtop wall. a V

A. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with acircular-shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially aboutthe perimeter of said top wall, a handle extending outwardly from themid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said topindicating legend on the top wall bordering the and specified, a portionof said element being cut away to give access to said lug.

6. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with acircular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially aboutthe perimeter of said top wall, a handle extending outwardly from themid portion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top wall,a lug extending from the inner surface of the side wall as and for thepurpose described and specified, a portion of said element being cutaway to give access to said lug, and indicating legends on the top andside walls.

7. A switch element comprising molded insulated body formed with acircular shaped top wall, an arcuate side wall extending partially aboutthe perimeter of said top wall, and a handle extending from the midportion of the side wall and radially with respect to said top wall, and

side wall.

8. In a switch-type plug attachment, an insulating casing having a topand bottom member, the bottom member having a circular groove and arecess concentric. with said groove, an element enclosed in the casinghaving a circular top wall, a curved side wall extending from said top'wall fitted to rotate in said groove and an opening concentric with saidtop wall, indicating 10 switch-position legends onthe top wall borderingthe side wall, said top member having a window in register with one ofsaid legends, a circuit closer having trunnion portions journalled insaid opening and recess, and a spring mounted 15 between an end of saidcloser and a part of said element at a spaced distance from the openingthereof.

JOSEPH D. BROWN.

